A box for travelling dovetail saws

[Derek Cohen]

I've been making a few boxes of late for tools used in demonstrations at wood shows and workshops. They are not jewellery boxes.


The current box is for a couple of dovetail saws, in particular a Veritas 20 ppi and a Veritas 14 ppi (which I have re-filed from 14 degrees of rake to 10 degrees of rake and 15 degrees of rake for the first 1 1/2" of the toe). The 20 ppi is excellent for thin board and softer wood, plus works well for crosscutting (such as the shoulders). The idea behind the progressive rake in the 14 ppi saw is to make it easier to start in hard, brittle wood, and then cut more aggressively.


The wood here is US Black Walnut, and the 20 ppi saw was used.








The design involves mitred through dovetail ends and sides rounded at the top. The mitred ends make it possible to hide the grooves ...











The lid pull is incorporated into the curved end, something I should have done with the previous box ...





Slide it back to reveal the two dovetail saws ...








I hope there are some ideas for you to use.


Regards from Perth


Derek

[Dean Arthur]

Lovely box Derek. I'm a big fan of the mitered dovetail ends for boxes. Just curious on how you go about making your thumb pull? I've been using a round nose router bit chucked into a drill press to date - but have been thinking about getting some gouges to experiment with (not sure of sizes).

[Scott Clausen]

Very nice Derek, makes me want to dip my feet into the mitered dovetail pool. But the water looks a bit cold right now, gotta work up some courage to try.

[Jim Koepke]

Fine looking carrying case.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

Lovely box Derek. I'm a big fan of the mitered dovetail ends for boxes. Just curious on how you go about making your thumb pull? I've been using a round nose router bit chucked into a drill press to date - but have been thinking about getting some gouges to experiment with (not sure of sizes).

Hi Dean, I don’t have a close up of this thumb pull, but here is one from the previous box. As I recall, the gouge size was about 3/8” or 1/2” here, while it was smaller for the current box (but which I started off with a round nose cutter as it is half the size).



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dean Arthur]

Thanks for the close up pic and gouge suggestions Derek. That's exactly what I'd like to do on my next pulls. I really like the idea of that texture (both in looks and I assume feel) when someone goes to open the box. Had a Pfeil 5/12 and 8/10 on my short list so one of those should work for this.

[Jim Koepke]

A spoon bit or Forstner bit would likely help to start.

jtk

[Ben Ellenberger]

That is a nice box! I think mitered dovetails are the most demanding corner joint.

I agree that a mid-size gouge is a really good tool to have for making pulls and other small indents. I really like the texture you get from them.

[Kevin Edwardes]

Lovely fitted box Derek. Love your work.